Chapter 1, The storm is approaching
In an instant, countless terrifying conjectures surged in her mind, and her already unstable heart was suddenly stirred into a tumultuous storm. The once docile spiritual energy began to show signs of rebellion, and a sharp pain faintly coursed through her meridians.
Everyone thought this matter had been put to rest, but Qu Ningxuan did not see it that way. She was naturally more perceptive than others, and since she was young at the time, several influential figures from the Shen family believed she was naive and had discussed this issue in her presence. Therefore, she felt that after being rejected, the ancestor of the Shen family had become furious and had severed ties with the Qianyang Sect, fearing that she would not be allowed to re-enter the Qianyang Sect.
Upon hearing Shen Xinyi's words, Qu Ningxuan was taken aback
Others toil for years, risking their lives for three to five years, just to reach the third floor of the library in search of a single secret book. Some may find it difficult to step into this place even once in their lifetime. Yet this young lady is using her privileges to browse through miscellaneous books. How outrageous!
The esteemed Elder Qingzheng of the Qianyang Sect is the senior brother of the ancestor of the Shen family, which is why he elaborated a bit more in his reply, stating the reasons. If Qu Ningxuan's attributes of earth were changed to water, or if wood were changed to metal, it is likely that these peak masters and elders would rush to seize her, as such mutually beneficial attributes would allow for significantly more efficient cultivation, which is highly advantageous. Unfortunately, Qu Ningxuan's attributes are wood and earth, which do not complement each other well, and they are both high and balanced, making it impossible to distinguish between the primary and secondary attributes. This means she must spend twice the time on cultivation to reach the same level as someone with a single attribute, and she may even need to invest more time to balance the elements within her body.
No
If the qualifications of a cultivator were to be tested in detail, the process would be so tedious that it could exhaust you. However, if we focus solely on physical qualifications, it can be simplified into two aspects: one is the inherent spiritual root attributes, and the other is the affinity of those attributes.
In Volume Twenty-Nine of "The Geography of Mountains and Rivers," ... ... it was found! The right hand, adorned with a ring symbolizing identity, effortlessly passed through the barrier, retrieving the yellowed scroll. The gloom in Qu Ningxuan's heart finally lifted a little, revealing a faint smile
They rejected it very decisively, never considering how the elder of the Shen family, who had been humiliated and doused with cold water, would feel, or how she would treat Qu Ningxuan. Of course, there would be no abuse or harm, after all, the elder of the Shen family had stated from the beginning that her treatment would be equal to that of the elders; changing that would be akin to slapping oneself in the face. Moreover, having a genius to uphold the family's reputation is not a bad thing, is it?
For the elders, they would rather accept a disciple with a single attribute of 90 than take Qu Ningxuan as a direct disciple. Who knows how her comprehension is? If it is poor, wouldn't that be a great loss of face for them? If it is good, they can always accept her into the sect later. Moreover, the Qianyang Sect has a grand family business and is not lacking in talents; whether there is one more or one less makes no difference at all
Sometimes she laughs at herself, wondering if she is being overly suspicious, mistaking others' goodwill for ulterior motives. However, from her observations over the years, these cultivators focus solely on their magical powers and neglect their inner peace. As a result of their extraordinary strength, they display even more grotesque behavior, casually killing for trivial gains and committing acts that breach moral boundaries. The Shen family bullies others with their power, and they have even resorted to slaughtering loose cultivators over trivial disputes. Has she not seen enough of this? One should harbor no malicious intent, yet remain vigilant against others. It is wise to prepare adequately, even if one is not at fault.
However, Qu Ningxuan sighed and, familiar with the surroundings, walked to another room to begin searching for books related to formations
She is unclear about the extent of the control exerted by the Shen family and the forces they can mobilize, but she must prepare for the worst. If this were a legitimate cultivation world, she could walk among the crowd, but in this world, cultivators do not care about killing karma or retribution. To avoid harming others, she can only hide in the deep mountains and forests, making it essential to acquire a great deal of knowledge.
To be precise, she should not be accepted as a direct disciple, but there is no issue with her being an inner disciple
In terms of qualifications, who in the entire Shen family can compare to her? Even though she bears the aura of a "genius," which leaves her without a point of reference to determine her own aptitude, she has a vague sense that her understanding should be quite good. Moreover, she has already registered with the Qianyang Sect, and only twelve years have passed; the memory of a cultivator is not that poor.
This is somewhat akin to allocating points in a game, where one chooses a profession based on their preferred attributes. Generally, individuals are capped at 100 points, which has led many uninformed ordinary people, and even cultivators, to mistakenly believe that having a more singular attribute is better. In reality, this notion is fundamentally flawed. Can you say that a person with balanced attributes, each at 20, is worse than someone with a singular attribute at only 10? Of course, if the latter were to have a singular attribute at 80, they would certainly be valued more highly by their mentors, as their cultivation speed would be several times that of the former, with particularly noticeable results in the short term. However, similarly, due to their overly singular attributes, such individuals tend to have a significantly shorter lifespan compared to those with balanced attributes.
For those from the secular branch of the Shen family who have never been in contact with cultivation, obtaining a qualification for a talent test is exceedingly difficult. Even if they truly possess the aptitude for cultivation and successfully join the Shen family, they would still be among the weakest. Unexpectedly, when Miss Shen Yuxuan underwent her test, it astonished the ancestor, who personally emerged from seclusion to further investigate her qualifications. Immediately, he announced that she would be treated with the respect accorded to elders, granting her full access to the library without the need to expend any points to consult any secret manuals, which was merely one of the privileges.
Qu Ningxuan leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, and tried hard to calm herself, but found it futile. "This cannot go on; I need to find a place to sort out my emotions. Things have not yet reached the worst point, and I absolutely must not lose my composure!"
Qu Ningxuan passed through layers of barriers and arrived at the third floor of the library, stepping into the room designated for miscellaneous books
If Qu Ningxuan were aware of the old man's thoughts, she would undoubtedly find it amusing. In reality, her situation was far from what the old man imagined; it could even be described as extremely dire.
Shen Xinyi arrogantly said: "Shen Yuxuan, I advise you to put some effort into your cultivation! Relying on decent talent has left us far behind, while you leisurely come here to read miscellaneous books... This kind of good life should come to an end"
Qu Ningxuan tightened her grip on the medicine bottle, feeling an increasing sense of foreboding
She does not dare to express her thoughts too overtly, so she only sets aside the time of a single incense stick each day to read. The books she borrows are quite varied, lacking any discernible pattern, giving others the impression that she is merely passing the time after tiring from her cultivation. No one would expect that a little girl, just over two years old, who has been staying at her family home and is solely focused on cultivation, could harbor such complex thoughts. Moreover, having the support of a family is vastly different from being a solitary cultivator; a normal person would never choose the latter. Who would have thought that she is always preparing to escape?
This young lady is the beloved daughter of the head of the Shen family, Shen Xinyi, who undoubtedly holds a princess-like status within the Shen household. However, this girl suffers from severe princess syndrome, believing that the world should revolve around her, and that she is the most outstanding person both in heaven and on earth. It is precisely because of this illogical and amusing mindset that Shen Xinyi harbors intense hostility towards Qu Ningxuan, who is superior to her in every way, and seizes every opportunity to trouble Ningxuan.
Seeing her, Qu Ningxuan's already poor mood worsened further
Despite feeling quite helpless and having a strong dislike for Shen Xinyi, Ning Xuan still maintained a facade of composure and calmly asked, "Are you here to select a cultivation method as well?"
The old man gently shook his head, deciding not to think any further. He was well aware that his secret disdain for Shen Yuxuan stemmed from jealousy of her extraordinary talent and cultivation speed
The ancestral elder of the Shen family bestowed upon her three exceptionally precious Hanyuan Pills, earnestly advising her to advance from the peak of Xuan Zhao to the early stage of Fusion, to break through the realm of refining essence into qi, and to reach the state of refining qi into spirit. This indeed appeared to be the heartfelt expectations of an elder for a talented junior, yet Qu Ningxuan always felt that something was amiss, though she could not pinpoint what it was.
Qu Ningxuan's attributes are Wood 98 and Earth 98, surpassing the first genius that the Shen family often speaks of by nearly eighty points, and is also nearly eighty points higher than the founder of the Shen family. The ancestor of the Shen family was overjoyed and immediately wrote a letter to the Qianyang Sect, attaching numerous gifts, hoping that the sect leader, any of the six peak masters, or any of the eighteen powerful elders would accept Qu Ningxuan as a direct disciple. However, to their surprise, the response from the other side was just one word.
However, Shen Xinyi's certainty must stem from information obtained from an important figure, perhaps even news disclosed by her father
Shen Yuxuan, a girl as proud as a peacock, walked over, her brows filled with a sense of provocation
Qu Ningxuan was taken aback, and before she could react, Shen Xinyi leaned in, her smile both triumphant and slightly mysterious: "I wonder, after Big Brother joins the Qianyang Sect, will you still be able to maintain this advantage?"
The resources available to her are still too limited, so limited that even escaping unscathed is an unrealistic dream. Had she known this earlier, she should have chosen to be a man, as the path of cultivation is much more arduous for women than for men
Qu Ningxuan was well aware that she came from a secular background and had no support in the Shen family, so at such times, she always tried to take a step back. Moreover, considering her past life, she was much older than Shen Xinyi, so how could she argue with a young girl? She would make a few sharp remarks if she felt like it, but it really had nothing to do with her.
The elder responsible for guarding the third floor couldn't help but sigh inwardly; different people have different fates, and this saying is indeed true. The Shen family is considered a top-tier cultivation family in the Lingyuan Continent, boasting several Golden Core experts stationed there, with the family ancestor being a master at the peak of the Golden Core stage. Moreover, the Shen family maintains a rather close relationship with the top cultivation sect, Qianyang Sect, being one of its important vassal forces. Even in the secular world, the Shen family is one of the five pillar families of the super empire, the Huai Jin Dynasty. This family, which has been passed down for millions of years, has a terrifying number of direct descendants, not to mention the numerous branches and side descendants. As for the Shen family's branches in secular forces, they are simply too many to count.